


Chrismukkah

by missamericas



Category: Young Avengers
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-19
Updated: 2014-12-19
Packaged: 2018-03-01 19:29:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2785001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missamericas/pseuds/missamericas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Relationships are about compromise, especially around the holidays.</p>
<p>Or, the time Billy and Teddy had the most interesting Christmas tree.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Chrismukkah

**Author's Note:**

> I saw [this](https://31.media.tumblr.com/4ae1178a6e31e1d532454215ca9a279a/tumblr_nghe5wAngi1qzcv7no3_1280.jpg) on tumblr and instantly thought of Billy and Teddy!
> 
> I don't know if anyone has a problem with the word queer, but it's used once!

The Holiday's were simultaneously the best and worst part of the year for Teddy Altman. While he enjoyed the overall spookiness of Halloween, the endless amounts of food on Thanksgiving, and being around the Kaplan's for Hanukkah. Christmas always seemed to be a little harder as it crept up on him each year.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were two days Sarah and Teddy always spent together. The time she told her bosses that these days were sacred between a single mother and her son. They had matching PJ's, endless amounts of cookies, and Christmas movies. The way she smiled when she came home with boxes on December 23rd; usually Christmas had finally arrived for the Altman's by then. The year before she died, their PJ's were onsies. Teddy's was red, it was styled to look like Santa's suit. It had four big white buttons down the center, with a black belt and a gold square buckle. His mothers on the other hand, was quite ridiculous.

It was brown, like a reindeer. The stomach was a shade lighter than the darker fabric. The feet were black, and it had hooves for the hands. _Hooves_. But the best part, the part that made Teddy double over in laughter - almost spilling his hot chocolate all over himself - was the hood. Sarah pulled the hood over her head revealing two circles that were meant to be eyes, a red blinking nose, and antlers.

"That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen in my entire life." Teddy couldn't contain himself. Of course his mother would buy it, it was so her. All she could do was smile with her hands on hips, the hood over her head and Rudolph's nose blinking.

"You don't understand fashion Theodore." Now she was galloping around the room, like a reindeer. Teddy had to set his mug on the coffee table as he held his stomach gasping for air.

"Oh I understand it perfectly Mom, you just march to the beat of your own drum." Sarah had stopped galloping, her hands returned to her hips. Her cheeks slightly flushed from using so much energy in a short period of time. Teddy's laughter was dying down, though his cheeks were hurting from laughing. Seriously, his Mom was awesome. Weird and quirky, but she was his mother and he loved her to death.

"Where do you think you got it from? Now hurry up and go put on yours. We have cookies to watch and movies to make." Fubbing up the words on purpose, Teddy shook his head and finished the last of his hot coco. Sarah was always in the kitchen taking out the cookie mix. It was pre-made. She could cook fabulous dinners, but baking? Beyond her.

"What am I going to do with you?" He questioned putting his mug in the sink.

"Move that tail to your room get changed and come help make these cookies before I eat the left over batter by myself." Sticking her finger into the tube of cookie batter, she licked some off her finger. Teddy's horrified look put a smile on Sarah's face before he rushed off to his room to change.

"You're evil!" Was the last thing Teddy said before she heard the slam of her son's bedroom door.

It was like all their Christmas celebrations together. Blasting Christmas music so loud Mrs. Jenkins down the hall came knocking on their door yelling about the noise level, threatening to tell the landlord. Sarah would offer her some cookies and she forgets all about it. Teddy was convinced Mrs. Jenkins doesn't really mind the music, she just wants some of cookies.

After the cookies were made, they usually watched a couple movies. The Grinch and Elf. Both were their favorites, they could quote each movie like the back of their hands. Half the time it wasn't even about watching the movie, but acting out the scenes trying to remember them from the previous year. They always did.

Christmas was the one time Teddy felt most like himself. The one time he wasn't around anyone at school hiding every aspect of himself. Hiding his shifting, hiding his sexuality. At school he was Ted, the "normal", straight basketball player. But at home, he was Teddy. The shapeshifting gay nerd who enjoyed comics, Star Trek and wearing horrible Christmas pajamas with his mother. He'd give anything to be this version of himself every day.

Luckily, he got his wish. Finding Billy and the rest of the Young Avengers was a miracle in itself. And while good things happen, that usually means bad things are right around the corner. With losing his mother, Cassie, and Vision it seemed like things went down hill. From Eli moving to Arizona and Billy falling into depression it was like all hope was lost.

It took sometime for Billy to get better. He was no way 'fixed' but he was trying. Which was a lot more than sitting and staring out the window all day. Teddy was over the moon to have his boyfriend - well fiance - back. Even if it came with the price of being normal teenagers and not the superheros they once were.

But things got bad again and they were on the run form Mother; who isn't Teddy's Mother. Billy was only trying to help and Teddy could no way be mad at him for it. It was kind of sweet when you really think about it. On top of being hunted down my an evil parasite with his mother's face, Tommy went missing and someone was walking around in Eli's old Patriot uniform. In short, it's a mess. One big mess. Not to mention Loki getting inside of Teddy's head. How could he ever think the love he and Billy had wasn't real? Looking back, he should've just let America punch Loki a couple times.

After their victory they all decided to get back into superheroing, there was a long conversation over it. David, Noh, and America hearing them all talk about how they came together was nice. They fully understood what they all lost that day, how it changed things forever.

***

If you told a sixteen year old Teddy that he was going to lose his mother, meet a cute boy who he'll eventually fall head over heels for, save the world on multiple occasions _while_ graduating high school _and_ even getting into and graduating from a decent college? He'd tell you that you were crazy and walk away.

But here he was some odd years later in the small apartment that he and Billy lived in. Out of college, the both of them with jobs. Nothing career like, mostly temp jobs while they figured their lives out. Finding something they could do for the sake of their identity's. They often wondered if this was the way to live, but Billy didn't want to risk the safety of his parents and little brothers.

Their apartment had become some makeshift default place for Friday night dinners. It wasn't something that was planned out right, its just that Tommy was usually over and when Tommy was over Noh was too. Kate usually stopped by to say hi and ended up staying for dinner anyways. America came by because Kate was there and those two had been skipping around the idea of them actually dating. (Tommy says give it another couple of months, Billy says a week. Noh-Varr and Teddy just shake their heads at the boyfriends.) And since everyone was already over they'd call David to join them. Thus how Friday night dinners became a thing.

This Friday wasn't like the rest though, this was their first Holiday season since they moved out of the Kaplan's place. It took them a bit but once Rebecca and Jeff started leaving subtle hints around the apartment, it was clear they needed their own space. Their place was decorated nicely, with the help of Kate of course. The living room was interesting though. Half of it was covered in Christmas decorations, while the other half was decorated in Hanukkah decorations. Teddy was never really religious, but for as long as he known Billy, he knew his Jewish culture was important, just like Christmas was to him.

"Plug in the menorah will ya Tee?" Billy asked as he took the pasta off the stove and the chicken out of the oven. Obligating, Teddy plugged in the menorah.

It was a menorah tree. The two of them wanted a way to celebrate parts of both them. There were plastic flames on the ends, though none of them were lit at the moment. Hanukkah didn't officially start for a couple of days. Their menorah tree was covered in both Christmas and Hanukkah ornaments. Some made by the two of them and Billy's brothers. They were quite proud of it.

There was knock at the door and Billy turned off the stove to let whoever it was in. Once the door was opened the mellow atmosphere had now changed. Just like it always did when Tommy came over.

"What up fuckers? Is dinner ready? I'm hungry." He said speeding past Billy and sitting on the couch, feet kicked up on the coffee table.

"Tommy please, can you at least be polite and say hi?" Noh-Varr asked. "Hi Billy, hi Teddy." Giving them both a small wave. Billy laughed shaking his head, closing the door behind Noh-Varr.

"What the fuck is that?" Tommy looked at the menorah tree. Everyone turned, Teddy opened his mouth to explain but there was another knock. Going himself this time, he opened the door and there were Kate, America, and David.

"The fun has arrived!" Kate smirked as she walked through the threshold.

"A little too late for that Katie, I just got here." Tommy waved at them, his smirk on his own lips. Kate rolled her eyes at him before wrapping her arms around Teddy and then Billy.

"Dinner smells great chico." America complimented as she took off her winter coat and hunt it on the coat rack.

"Is that a menorah tree?" Kate asked turning towards the lights, she tilted her head to the side.

"Yes." Billy smiled, he was setting the food on their small bar. There wasn't enough room for in their place for an full dinning room. They usually sat around the TV, eating and trying to decide on something they would all enjoy. "Teddy and I thought it'd be great its -"

"Really fucking dorky." Tommy interjected, he was now standing next to the menorah tree inspecting it. "But it works for you two. I guess."

America was leaning against the back of the couch, David by the bar. Kate helping Teddy and Billy get plates, cups and silverware. The five of them asking where David had been lately. It was kind of cliche how they spent most of them time together. But it was only natural right? They fought crime together, recovered together, trained together, ate together. It was a wonder they weren't living all in one place. Kate jokingly suggested buying one for them. (She's wasn't joking.)

So it was weird that David wasn't around much lately, often hanging around for a couple hours before looking at his phone and mysteriously disappearing for the night or a couple days.

"Our little Davey's got himself a girlfriend." Kate pinched his cheeks mocking a the horrible baby voice some adults used on infants and animals. David smacked her hand away and scowled.

"Not a girlfriend Katherine." She rolled her eyes at her full name. David was good for that. It was more hilarious when he full named Tommy. His face always went into utter shock no matter how many times it happened.

"Boyfriend?" America questioned, her eyebrow quirked. Leave it up to them to have a whole team full of queer relationships. Kate smiled big before pinching David's cheeks again. Laughing before she pulled him into a hug.

"So what's his name? When can we meet him?" Kate asked, pulling away from her embrace she walked over to America, standing next to the girl bumping her shoulder with a soft smile.

"Nate. And never." He said fixing his glasses. The four of his friends looked offended.

"Well why the hell not?" America asked crossing her arms. The bickering that broke out between the other four was nothing that interested him. Instead Noh-Varr's attention was on his boyfriend, who was still staring at the menorah tree with great amazement. Soon at Tommy's side he watched as he searched the tree. For what? Noh-Varr had no clue.

"Is there something wrong with it? Did Billy and Teddy make a mistake?" He questioned. Tommy snorted and shook his head before standing up straight from his hunched over position that he had a second ago.

"No. Bet you anything they went on pintrest or something lame like that." Leave it up to him to get stuck with the dorkiest brother in the universe. But Tommy got used to it over the years. Billy was Billy and Tommy was well, Tommy. They accepted each other at their best, and even at their worst. For a soul-twin, that was pretty cool of him.

"So then why stare like there's something wrong with it?" Noh pushed his eyebrows together in confusion, not really following why Tommy was so into the memorah tree. Noh-Varr would admit it was a pretty clever way to put them together the way Billy and Teddy did.

"I made some of these ornaments." Tommy started, the bickering of the others seemed to drone in the back. Either party not really paying the other mind at the moment. Tommy pointed at the Christmas ones first. "The Kaplan's never celebrated it. Yanno, being Jewish and all. But once Teddy moved in with them I guess Billy hinted how much big of a deal with was for him and his Mom when she was still alive." Tommy quickly looked back at Teddy would had his arms wrapped around Billy. He wasn't there for it, but many nights up late with Billy had painted a very grim picture for him.

"I was still living with them." He shrugged, his hands going into his pockets. It was something when he started talking that didn't have to do with a sarcastic remark. "And they brought all this stuff to make ornaments. Isaac and Jacob were young so it wasn't that lame." To be honest, Tommy enjoyed it. Because of his fucked up childhood and his parents who had no business reproducing, much less taking care of a mutant child; he never got to do things like this. And as much as he pretended to think it was lame, and say how he'd rather be doing some many other things. He stayed in the kitchen of the Kaplan's apartment and helped Isaac and Jacob make ornaments along with Billy and Teddy.

"It was nice of them to do that." Noh commented. Again, Tommy snorted and nodded.

"Yeah. They're like that. Super nice and understanding. Billy got lucky." His smirk faded, his eyes scanning the menorah tree. Noh noticed the difference in his behavior, taking one of Tommy's hands out of his pockets, he laced their fingers.

"So did you." He started. Tommy looked to his left and arched his eyebrow, waiting for Noh to continue. "Look at where you are now from where you were years ago. You have a family. Billy, Teddy, Kate, America, David. Me." Noh-Varr quickly looked away, his eyes on the menorah tree. That took him by surprise, to say the least. Tommy felt himself blush as he smiled. Nudging Noh's shoulder with his to get his boyfriends attention.

"No need to get all sappy on me." He teased. His face softened, his eyes catching the menorah tree again. Noh-Varr was right, he was pretty lucky. Never in a million years while Tommy was being probed and watched by sick people, would he have thought he'd be out alive. With people that actually cared about him.

"Dinner's ready!" Teddy called, holding plates out for everyone. Falling in line behind Kate, Noh wrapped his arms around Tommy's body and whispered a small I love you into his ear. Tommy looked at him before rolling his eyes, with a smile spreading across his lips.

"Fuckin' sap." Noh-Varr had been with the speedster enough to know that basically meant _I love you too_.

***

Their apartment was now quiet, living room cleaned, dishes washed. A sleeping Tommy and Noh on their couch. Which wasn't too uncommon, this was one of the numerous times the pair had fallen asleep after dinner and a couple drinks. Billy got a spare blanket from their room and draped it over them. Walking back to the bedroom he shared with Teddy. Who was on their bed looking at a stack of photos. Billy felt something in the pit of his stomach as he approached their bed.

Crawling onto the bed, Billy smiled before kissing Teddy's shoulder. The pictures were of Sarah, Billy didn't need to look at them to know that. It had been years and Teddy still had bad nights, even if she wasn't his biological mother. She was the woman that raised him, that took care of him and accepted him. Billy would miss her too.

"Ted." Billy said softly, Teddy gave him no response, his eyes still on the picture. He moved to rub the back of his hand against his nose, sniffling. "Ted, love. Look at me." Billy tried again. It hurt that he didn't know what to do. Teddy lost his mom, and here Billy was sitting with two.

Teddy turned to look at Billy, his eyes slightly red from crying. Billy's heart broke for him. Taking a finger and wiping the tear that started to fall. Taking the pictures out of his hand, he set them on their bedside table. The both of them laid down, Billy's arms around Teddy who had his head in the crook of Billy's neck. Moments of silence pasted before either of them broke it.

"She would've loved to know more about Hanukkah." Teddy said suddenly, his voice a little horse. "Probably would've Googled a while bunch of things and try to make Latkes and get really competitive with Tommy about Dreidel." He paused, taking a breath and closing his eyes. "She should be here."

"I know, babe." Billy pressed his lips against Teddy's forehead, working his fingers through his blond hair. "I'm sorry." Was all he could say, he never knew what to say. Nothing he said would ever make things better, and he hated it. He wished he could do something. Something that wouldn't end in them being on the run for months. Something _good_.

"She would've found a way to get you something crazy like a onesie with Dreidel's and Menorah's and the star of David on it. Don't know how she would've found one, but she would have. And she'd be pretty damn proud of it too." Teddy laughed to himself. His mother always found the wackiest things. But you could tell she spent time looking because she knew how important it would be. "You make it easier you know." Teddy said again, Billy pulled away to look at him, not really saying anything.

"It would be harder without you. At least with you here, I'm not - I don't feel as broken." Teddy confessed. Billy had always made it better, sure Teddy could get by on his own. He knew how to take care of himself, but he loved Billy so much. The boy was his world that he simply wouldn't want to go through life without him by his side. They complimented each other, and it was one of the many things he loved about them.

"Hey, I have an idea." Billy smiled, his idea was brilliant. Or at least he thought it was. "How about before we go to my parents for dinner we buy some onsies?" He added quickly, watching Teddy's expression. His smile growing, boy he loved when Teddy smiled. Billy always swooned.

"Will you buy me a Star Trek one?" He smirked watching Billy's face fall.

"In your dreams." Teddy pouted before pulling Billy closer to him.

"But babe, please?" Billy glared at him, rolling his eyes. See, Teddy was a Star Trek fan and Billy was a Star Wars fan. It had been one of the very few things they didn't have in common. Tommy made the mistake of saying they were the same thing and had to sit through an hour and a half discussion on why they weren't.

"Over my dead body. Why am I marrying you again? I can't believe I'm marrying someone that likes Star Trek." Billy groaned, though he was kidding. He'd marry Teddy over any circumstance. Any.

"Should I remind you that I still haven't read Harry Potter?" Billy's body went tense. He could never understand why people didn't read Harry Potter. It was _Harry fucking Potter_ for crying out loud! Everyone had to read it.

"You're getting all seven books for Hanukkah." Billy deadpaned, and Teddy couldn't help himself but laugh. Much to his boyfriend's amusement, Billy wasn't joking. They were wrapped up nicely at his parents house with Teddy's name scribbled in his messy handwriting. "But fine. Since we're still together after that. I guess I can swallow my pride and buy you a Star Trek onesie."

Teddy laughed before kissing Billy's jaw line. Though he was a fanboy himself, Billy won that title by a long shot. When people heard the word fanboy, they thought of Billy. He's accepted it, at least he gets a say on anything pop culture related. 

They laid in silence, their breathing in sync. Teddy's mood better, a smile on his face while he reminded himself how lucky he was to have Billy in his life. Billy combing his fingers through Teddy's hair still, happy he had finally found someone that loved him for him.

For years he was teased and physically harmed because of who he was. Being Jewish was never really a problem until the fifth grade. When he would sometimes miss a couple days of school here and there. When he had his Bar Mitzvah and invited his whole class and only had two people show up.

That's when the Jew comments started, the constant teasing that Billy could take. His mother already warned him about the cruelty of some kids. It grew progressively worse as he got older. From being teased to being pushed into lockers, and left with bruises over his body. The cherry on the top was when he was outted. He never had any internalized homophobia, Billy knew being gay wasn't anything wrong. His parents were always accepting of anyone they met. But not everyone at school thought this way.

He had accepted it many years ago that Billy Kaplan wasn't meant to be cool. With his nerdy paraphernalia in his room, to being Jewish, to being gay. He basically had a 'kick me' sign taped to his back. Because of all of that wasn't enough, his powers kicked in and he almost killed someone. Because life just wanted to shit on Billy Kaplan as long as it could.

He grew up loving himself, he grew up being who he was despite the world telling him he should be ashamed. He may have not had many people at his Bar Mitzvah, but he had his two best friends who gave him the best gift a 13 year old boy could ask for.

He enjoyed spending time with his family on Jewish holidays. He loved lighting the candles, he loved the Latkes and playing Dreidel and helping his brothers prepare for their Bar Mitzvah's. It was who he was, Billy Kaplan was Jewish. And there was nothing or anyone that could take that away from him.

The simple fact that it was Teddy's idea to make the Menorah tree caused him to fall in love with him all over again. Teddy was so about wanting Billy to never change himself for the sake of their relationship. He constantly told Billy he would've gone to his Bar Mitzvah if they knew each other. Constantly excited for the Holidays they'd spent with his parents.

He was truly a gift, and he was Billy's gift.

**Author's Note:**

> Hoped you enjoyed it! I really wanted to write about both of their takes on the Holiday's without erasing Billy's Jewish culture. 
> 
> Come hang out with me on tumblr! If that's your scene. :) @chavezbishops


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